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This anthology is comprised of six papers, introducing readers to at variety of topics relevant to the Strategies for Health arena. The papers are intended to reflect the breadth of research conducted in Strategies for Health. The aim is to contribute to a greater understanding of the concept of health and provide insight into some strategies for improvement of health and safety. The anthology was edited by Per Nilsen, in cooperation with Lennart Nordenfelt and Kerstin Ekberg, who served as an Editorial Committee.

Linköping University, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Preventive and Social Medicine and Public Health Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Health Sciences. Östergötlands Läns Landsting, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Acute Health Care. Östergötlands Läns Landsting, Local Health Care Services in the West of Östergötland, Department of Medical Specialist.

Karlsson, Nadine

Linköping University, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Preventive and Social Medicine and Public Health Science. Linköping University, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Work and Rehabilitation. Linköping University, Faculty of Health Sciences.

Aims: To investigate the awareness and knowledge of hazardous drinking limits among the general population in Sweden and the extent to which people estimate their alcohol consumption in standard drinks to assess their level of drinking.

Methods: A population-based study involving 6000 individuals selected from the total Swedish population was performed. Data were collected by means of a postal questionnaire. The mail survey response rate was 54.3% (n = 3200) of the net sample of 5891 persons.

Results: With regard to drinking patterns, 10% of the respondents were abstainers, 59% were sensible drinkers and 31% were classified as hazardous drinkers. Most of the abstainers (80%), sensible drinkers (64%) and hazardous drinkers (56%) stated that they had never heard about the standard drink method. Familiarity with the hazardous drinking concept also differed between the three categories although ∼61% of sensible and hazardous drinkers expressed awareness of the concept (46% of the abstainers). Knowledge about the limits for sensible drinking was very poor. Between 94 and 97% in the three categories did not know the limit. There was a statistically significant association between having visited health care within the last 12 months and being aware of the standard drink method and the hazardous drinking concept, but not with knowing the hazardous drinking limits. Similarly, there was a significant association between having had at least one alcohol conversation in health care within the last 12 months and being aware of the standard drink method and the hazardous drinking concept, but not with knowing the hazardous drinking limits.

Conclusion: The results can be seen as a major challenge for the health-care system and public health authorities because they imply that a large proportion of the Swedish population does not know when alcohol consumption becomes a threat to their health. The current strategy to disseminate knowledge about sensible drinking limits to the population through the health-care system seems to have failed and new means of informing the population are warranted.

Background: University students in Sweden routinely receive proactive mail-based alcohol Internet interventions sent from student health services. This intervention provides personalized normative feedback on alcohol consumption with suggestions on how to decrease drinking. Earlier feasibility trials by our group and others have examined effectiveness in simple parallel-groups designs.Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of electronic screening and brief intervention, using a randomized controlled trial design that takes account of baseline assessment reactivity (and other possible effects of the research process) due to the similarity between the intervention and assessment content. The design of the study allowed for exploration of the magnitude of the assessment effects per se.Methods: This trial used a dismantling design and randomly assigned 5227 students to 3 groups: (1) routine practice assessment and feedback, (2) assessment-only without feedback, and (3) neither assessment nor feedback. At baseline all participants were blinded to study participation, with no contact being made with group 3. We approached students 2 months later to participate in a cross-sectional alcohol survey. All interventions were fully automated and did not have any human involvement. All data used in the analysis were based on self-assessment using questionnaires. The participants were unaware that they were participating in a trial and thus were also blinded to which group they were randomly assigned.Results: Overall, 44.69% (n = 2336) of those targeted for study completed follow-up. Attrition was similar in groups 1 (697/1742, 40.01%) and 2 (737/1742, 42.31% retained) and lower in group 3 (902/1743, 51.75% retained). Intention-to-treat analyses among all participants regardless of their baseline drinking status revealed no differences between groups in all alcohol parameters at the 2-month follow-up. Per-protocol analyses of groups 1 and 2 among those who accepted the email intervention (36.2% of the students who were offered the intervention in group 1 and 37.3% of the students in group2 ) and who were risky drinkers at baseline (60.7% follow-up rate in group 1 and 63.5% in group 2) suggested possible small beneficial effects on weekly consumption attributable to feedback.Conclusions: This approach to outcome evaluation is highly conservative, and small benefits may follow the actual uptake of feedback intervention in students who are risky drinkers, the precise target group.Trial Registration: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 24735383; http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN24735383 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6Awq7gjXG)

Objective: The Job Demand Control model presents combinations of working conditions that may facilitate learning, the active learning hypothesis, or have detrimental effects on health, the strain hypothesis. To test the active learning hypothesis, this study analysed the effects of job demands and job control on general problem-solving strategies. Participants: A population-based sample of 4,636 individuals (55% women, 45% men) with the same job characteristics measured at two times with a three year time lag was used. Methods: Main effects of demands, skill discretion, task authority and control, and the combined effects of demands and control were analysed in logistic regressions, on four outcomes representing general problem-solving strategies. Results: Those reporting high on skill discretion, task authority and control, as well as those reporting high demand/high control and low demand/high control job characteristics were more likely to state using problem solving strategies. Conclusions: Results suggest that working conditions including high levels of control may affect how individuals cope with problems and that workplace characteristics may affect behaviour in the non-work domain.

Introduction The role, tasks and competencies of disability management professionals (DMPs) have increasingly become a focus of research in the last decade. However, the legal context in which DMPs work, how this affects their daily practice, and how this impacts their training curricula, has been neglected. This omission is problematic given that international training programs of disability management (DM) operate across different jurisdictions. Our study describes DMPs' practice in Ontario, Canada and considers jurisdiction-specific elements of disability management practice.

Methods The study is based on seven interviews and a focus group with five participants, who are either certified disability management professionals or who are involved with DMPs' training, as well as documentary analysis of the legal context of these professionals' practice.

Results The study shows how DMPs' practice is affected by the local legal context. The jurisdiction's socio-political framework requires DMPs to distinguish between occupational and non-occupational cases, a distinction which affects their practice and their recommendations to employers. This is in contrast to DM training which emphasises equal treatment of all people with disabilities.

Conclusions The research suggests that disability management practices may differ from one jurisdiction to the next and therefore emphasises the need to consider socio-political aspects in DMPs' practice as well as in the development of training programmes and cross-jurisdictional research.

The social and economic costs of injury and disability in the workplace has had an adverse impact on employers and societies throughout the world. International trends in worksite disability management policies and practices, as surveyed by the International Labor Organization, are explored. The impact of formal training for Disability Management Coordinators is discussed, as relates to reductions in unnecessary lost time and workplace disability costs. A disability management audit system is summarized, as a strategic planning process for developing return-to-work programs for workers with disabilities.

Background: The work in health services is knowledge intensive and based on continuous development. Managers should be able to give instructions, clarify tasks, support the priorities and provide staff with support and feedback. This puts a strong focus on leadership and learning. The National Board of Welfare in Sweden emphasises of the need for increased knowledge of learning-driven improvements in health and medical care. Managerial and team development are important tools in the learning-driven improvements.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe and interpret heads of clinics' experiences and their importance regarding the learning and development of their staff at the workplace.

Method: The study is qualitative with a phenomenological approach. Interviews were conducted in 2011 and included feedback from a total of 19 heads of clinics from two hospitals in Sweden.

Results: Heads of clinics feel that they reinforce a transparent environment, give attention to employees, support reflection and broaden staff skills. Heads of clinics believe it is important to work with goals and long-term vision to create a holistic view and employee participation. Heads of clinics' experiences of barriers to learning-driven improvement is related to a lack of consensus among employees.

Conclusion: Heads of clinics' believe it is important to be a supportive, coaching manager who motivates staff to believe in themselves, do better and develop further. The perceived barriers to learning-driven improvements may be related to managers' lack of teaching abilities.

Objective: Early predictors of poor outcome after acute ischemic stroke may be useful in selecting patients for potentially beneficial but high-risk interventions. Design. Cohort study of patients given placebo in a randomized clinical trial. Setting. Multicenter trial at 139 U.S. and 14 Canadian hospitals. Patients. A cohort of 564 placebo-treated patients with major anterior circulation ischemic stroke enrolled in the Clomethiazole in Acute Stroke Study-Ischemic Stroke (CLASS-I) trial. Patients did not have significant impairment in consciousness at baseline and were enrolled within 12 hrs of symptom onset. Interventions: Prospective data collection of a number of clinical variables including use of a 6-point level of consciousness scale (1 = awake, 6 = no reaction to pain) to measure patients' level of consciousness at enrollment and 12 additional times during the first 24 hrs after enrollment. The ability of level of consciousness score and additional clinical data to predict 30-day mortality was assessed. Measurements and Main Results., At 1 month, 114 of 564 patients (20%) had died. In univariate analysis, factors significantly associated with mortality included older age, white race, higher National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, higher serum glucose, atrial fibrillation, and any impairment in level of consciousness (p < .05). After controlling for these factors, increasing level of consciousness score at 3 hrs after enrollment and at all but one subsequent time point was significantly associated with increased mortality (odds ratio, 1.8 per point, 95% confidence interval, 1.2-2.6, p = .003 at 3-hr time point). Maximum level of consciousness score during the initial 24 hrs of monitoring also predicted mortality (odds ratio, 1.9 per point, 95% confidence interval, 1.4-2.5, p < .001). Conclusion: The development of a decreased level of consciousness within the initial hours after stroke onset, as evaluated by a simple six-point scale, is a powerful independent predictor of mortality after major anterior circulation ischemic stroke.

Assessment of work ability and employability are core tasks for the welfare actors when an individual becomes sick-listed. The assessments are critical for the individual's future possibilities to remain on the labor market. Difficulties to perform these assessments given the structural conditions for the sick-leave and return-to-work process are discussed.

Adults spend about 40% of their waking hours at work. The workplace is an important setting both in affecting people’s health and as an environment in which to promote health. Health in working life is not a technical, value-free process, but rather one influenced by the ideologies, beliefs and values of key actors, such as officials, workers and unions, employers, corporations and managers, experts and others (Levenstein & Woodings, 1997). Indeed, one of the defining characteristics of the workplace setting is that it brings together a variety of groups and individuals who have different agendas and priorities with regard to work and health (Naidoo & Wills, 2000). Hence, the relationship between work and health may be viewed in different ways by different actors; a conflict of interest may arise between the actors with regard to what comes first, health or productivity.

This text begins with a look at key concepts, theories and models to explain the relationship between health and work. This is followed by a discussion of important empirical findings and research concerning strategies to improve workplace health.

Linköping University, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Work and Rehabilitation. Linköping University, Faculty of Health Sciences. Linköping University, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Preventive and Social Medicine and Public Health Science.

Aim: The study aims to identify characteristics associated with long-term expectations of professional stability or mobility among recently sick-listed workers, and to study whether expectations of professional mobility and turnover intentions were associated with duration of sick leave.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on baseline measures in a prospective cohort study of patients who were granted sick leave due to musculoskeletal (MSD) or mental (MD) disorders. A total of 1,375 individuals fulfilled the inclusion criteria. A baseline questionnaire was sent by mail within 3 weeks of their first day of certified medical sickness; 962 individuals responded (70%). The main diagnosis was MSD in 595 (62%) individuals and MD in 367 (38%).

Results: Expectations of ability to remain in the present profession in 2 years was associated with better health and health-related resources, younger age, higher education, and better effort-reward balance. Effort-reward imbalance, MD, high burnout scores, and better educational and occupational position were associated with turnover intentions. Low expectations of ability to remain in the present profession defined two vulnerable groups with regard to RTW, those with no turnover intentions were older, had lower personal resources, more often had MSD, and slower RTW rate. Those with turnover intentions had a clear effort-reward imbalance and high burnout scores.

Conclusions: The results of this explorative study underline the importance of differentiating RTW-interventions based on knowledge about the sick-listed person's resources in relation to the labor market and the work place, and their expectations of future employment and employability.

Linköping University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Linköping University, HELIX Vinn Excellence Centre. Linköping University, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Work and Working Life. Linköping University, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Learning in Working Life and Educational Settings.

Fogelberg Eriksson, Anna

Linköping University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Linköping University, HELIX Vinn Excellence Centre. Linköping University, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Work and Working Life. Linköping University, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Learning in Working Life and Educational Settings.

Linköping University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Linköping University, HELIX Vinn Excellence Centre. Linköping University, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Work and Working Life. Linköping University, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Learning in Working Life and Educational Settings.

Research has shown that individuals reporting a low level of adjustment latitude, defined as having few possibilities to temporarily adjust work demands to illness, have a higher risk of sick leave. To what extent lack of adjustment latitude influences the individual when making the decision to take sick leave is unknown. We hypothesize that ill individuals are more likely to take sick leave on days when they experience a lack of adjustment latitude at work than on days with access to adjustment latitude.

Methods

A case-crossover design was applied to 546 sick-leave spells, extracted from a cohort of 1 430 employees at six Swedish workplaces, with a 3–12 month follow-up of all new sick-leave spells. Exposure to lack of adjustment latitude on the first sick-leave day was compared with exposure during several types of control periods sampled from the previous two months for the same individual.

Results

Only 35% of the respondents reported variations in access to adjustment latitude, and 19% reported a constant lack of adjustment latitude during the two weeks prior to the sick-leave spell. Among those that did report variation, the risk of sick leave was lower on days with lack of adjustment latitude, than on days with access (Odds Ratio 0.36, 95% Confidence Interval 0.25–0.52).

Conclusions

This is the first study to show the influence of adjustment latitude on the decision to take sick leave. Among those with variations in exposure, lack of adjustment latitude was a deterrent of sick leave, which is contrary to the à priori hypothesis. These results indicate that adjustment latitude may not only capture long-lasting effects of a flexible working environment, but also temporary possibilities to adjust work to being absent. Further studies are needed to disentangle the causal mechanisms of adjustment latitude on sick-leave.

BACKGROUND: The prerequisite for obtaining sickness benefit is reduced work ability for medical reasons in combination with work demands which cannot be adjusted accordingly. The aim of this study was to investigate if low levels of adjustment latitude, defined as the possibility to temporarily adjust work demands in case of ill health, influence sickness absence.

METHODS: A prospective cohort study of 1420 employees (47% participation, aged 19-68; 56% women) was conducted at six Swedish workplaces. Exposure to two general and nine specific types of adjustment latitude was ascertained at baseline. Outcome was defined as the first new employer-reported sick-leave spell during a follow-up of 3-12 months. Hazard ratios (HR) of sick leave, with 95% confidence intervals (CI), were estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression.

RESULTS: The incidence of sickness absence was 2.85/1000 person-days. The self-reported reasons for sick leave were mainly minor complaints such as colds, influenzas and headaches. Employees lacking adjustment latitude had an adjusted HR of sickness absence of 1.51 (95% CI 1.08-2.11). Among specific adjustment latitude types, those not having the possibility to work from home generated an HR of 1.86 (95% CI 1.31-2.64). The effects of lack of adjustment latitude were similar for men and women but seemed to vary between different occupations.

CONCLUSION: A low level of adjustment latitude at work is a risk factor for sickness absence.

Objectives: To investigate if exposure to an unusually low workload when ill can trigger taking sick leave. Methods: A case-crossover design was applied to 546 sick-leave spells obtained from a cohort of 1430 employees within six Swedish workplaces. New sick-leave spells were reported from the workplaces during 3 to 12 months follow-up. Exposure was assessed in structured participant interviews at sick leave. Case and control periods from the same individual were sampled according to the matched-pair and usual-frequency approaches. Results are presented as odds ratios with surrounding 95% confidence intervals. Results: The odds ratio of sick leave on a day with an unusually low workload was 2.57 (confidence interval, 1.07-6.16). Conclusions: Becoming ill on a day with a lower workload than usual can trigger the decision to take sick leave.

Objective: Adjustment latitude describes opportunities to change demands at work when ill and may affect work ability. The aim here is to study the association between adjustment latitude and self-assessed work ability among men and women and employees from different occupational sectors.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from a questionnaire sent to 3020 employees in three occupational sectors in Sweden; 1430 responded. Subjects were divided into: full, moderately reduced, and greatly reduced work ability. Presence of nine adjustment opportunities was requested and subjects were divided into three groups. Each specific opportunity was also analyzed in relation to work ability. Multinomial logistic regression was used for analyses.

Results: Number of opportunities to adjust was associated with work ability among men and employees in health care. "Shortening the working day" was associated with work ability in most groups. For men and industrial employees, "postponing work", "going home and working later", and "working without disturbance" were associated with work ability. "To work from home" was associated with work ability among women and employees in insurance.

Conclusions: The assumption that adjustment latitude affects work ability is supported. Associations differ with regard to gender and occupational sectors. Further studies with longitudinal design and alternative samples are needed.

The authors studied the social gradient in sickness absence in relation to components of the illness flexibility model, which highlights conditions affecting whether people attend work when they are ill. The conditions studied were: adjustment latitude, attendance requirements at work, stimulating work, and health. The population sample was part of a panel originating in 1994 when 15,154 inhabitants of Stockholm County were randomly selected to receive a questionnaire covering, among other things, health and psychosocial conditions. New questionnaires were sent to the respondents in 1998 and 2002. This article analyzes the 2002 data, for 1,634 women and 1,063 men. These respondents had reported being employed or on leave of absence. In this sample, a social difference was found in sickness absence of 31 days or more per year. For manual workers, women had an odds ratio (OR) of 2.8 and men an OR of 3.4 for such absence compared with nonmanual workers of both sexes in high socioeconomic positions. All single potential confounders decreased these ORs. Adding all characteristics decreased the OR by 78 percent for women and 67 percent for men. The results indicate that the social gradient in sickness absence is due to differences in health and in working conditions when one is ill.

Much research has been done on interventions to reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) at the workplace. However, this problem is still a major concern in working life. The economic cost for WMSDs corresponds to between 0.5% and 2% of the gross national product in some European countries, and in 2007, 8.6% of workers in the EU had experienced work-related health problems during the previous 12 months. In Sweden, one in five of all employees have rated occurrence of WMSDs during the previous 12 months.

In spite of comprehensive ergonomic improvements of workplace and tool design in dentistry the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in neck, upper arms and back is reported to be between 64% and 93%.

The present thesis investigates if the perceived high exertion during work corresponds to actual physical exposures. Further, it is investigated if risk full physical exposures may be generated due to rationalisations. Specifically, changes in physical exposures are investigated prospectively during a period of rationalisations. Empirical data on production system performance, individual measured physical workload, and self-rated physical workload are provided.

High estimates of self-rated workload were found. These high scores for perceived workload were associated with high measured muscular workload in the upper trapezius muscles. Also, negative correlations were found between low angular velocities in the head, neck and upper extremities on the one hand, and estimates for perceived workload on the other. Both measured muscular workload and mechanical exposure among dentists indicate a higher risk of developing WMSDs than in occupational groups with more varied work content. Value-Adding Work (VAW) comprised about 57% of the total working time and compared to industrial work an increase with about 20 percent units is hypothesised. Furthermore, VAW compared to non-VAW (“waste”) implies more awkward postures and especially low angular velocities interpreted as constrained postures.

Consequently, when increasing the proportion of time spent in VAW due to rationalisations, work intensification is expected. However, at follow up, we did not find such work intensification.

Previous research indicates that rationalisation in working life may be a key factor in the development of WMSD. The present thesis suggests that ergonomics may then be considered proactively as part of the rationalisation process.

Abstract [en]

In a previous study, dentists reported very high scores for perceived physical workload, but only low to moderate scores for the musculoskeletal system. This is difficult to explain when other occupational groups in the dental services are compared, and is the main reason why the present study was performed. To measure muscular activity, a surface electromyography (sEMG) study was done, and included the subjects who reported neck and shoulder complaints in the previous study. A portable sEMG system (MyoGuard) was used to collect a myoelectric signal on-line and analysis of the myoelectric signal in a computer. sEMG was recorded from both trapezius muscles for approximately 4 h during an ordinary working day. Twentyseven dentists participated in the study. The results show accumulated rest% fairly close to that of female cashiers and supermarket employees and increased average rectified value percent (ARV%) during work that could contribute to the very high workload perceived by dentists.

Abstract [en]

Dentists reported high perceived physical work conditions. Working postures and movements of the head and upper extremities during dental work were registered with inclinometry measurements during four hours. The aim was to clarify the relationship between measured working postures/movements and perceived physical work conditions. Dentists worked with elevated arms and a rather steep forward inclination of the head. Correlations (r = -0.52 to -0.66) between inclination velocity and perceived workload on VAS scales were found, but there were only weak correlations between observed working postures. The different tasks involved in dental work provide limited variation in work movements and postures, measured by inclinometry. By alternating between sitting and standing, it might be possible to achieve variation in physical workload during dental work.

Abstract [en]

The present study investigates dental work in terms of time distribution and mechanical exposure in value-added and non-value-added tasks. Further rationalization of dental work would typically involve an increase in the proportion of value-added tasks. Information on mechanical exposure within classes of value-added and non-value-added tasks can be used to predict possible implications of rationalization.

Twenty-four dentists were investigated. Using a data logger, postures and movements were continuously recorded for each subject during four hours of work, which included 45 minutes of video recording. Time distribution and mechanical exposure for each work activity were calculated from the video recordings, using a loss analysis technique. Value-added tasks, which comprised 57% of the total working time, generally implied significantly more constrained mechanical exposures as compared with non-value-added tasks.

The results indicate that future rationalization of dental work, involving a reduction of nonvalue-added tasks, may increase the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders.

Ekberg, Kerstin

Winkel, J.

National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark.

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(English)Manuscript (preprint) (Other academic)

Abstract [en]

Comprehensive rationalisations in Swedish dentistry suggest contribute to increase risk for MSDs among dentists. This prospective study focused on assessing changes in degree of rationalisation of clinical dental work by dentists during a six years period, with particular emphasis on time aspects and mechanical exposure. Twelve dentists were followed up by the means 45 minute’s video recordings and synchronised inclinometry measurements. The video recordings were analyzed by a loss analysis technique.

The results shows that non-VAW time proportion (waste) at the follow up was not reduced, but rather showed a trend towards an increase. Mechanical exposures during non-VAW and VAW were essentially not changed during the follow up time. The risk for MSDs for dentists due to mechanical exposure is unchanged. The used loss analysis technique has a lot to contribute in health care settings but the used concept applied needs further elaboration in the future.

Swedish dentistry has been exposed to frequent rationalisation initiatives during the last half century. Previous research has shown that rationalisation often results in increased risk of developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders, thus reducing sustainability in the production system. In this prospective study, we assessed mechanical exposures among Swedish dentists in relation to specific rationalisations of clinical dental work during a six-year period. Body postures and movements of 12 dentists were assessed by inclinometry synchronised to video recordings of their work. No rationalisation effects could be shown in terms of a reduction in non-value-adding work (waste), and at job level, no major differences in mechanical exposure could be shown between baseline and follow-up. Conclusion: The present rationalisation measures in dentistry do not seem to result in rationalisation at job level, but may potentially be more successful at the overall dental system level. Practitioner summary: In contrast to many previous investigations of the mechanical exposure implications of rationalisation, the present rationalisation measures did not increase the level of risk for dentists. It is highlighted that all occupations involved in the production system should be investigated to assess production system sustainability.

Comprehensive rationalisations in Swedish dentistry suggest contribute to increase risk for MSDs among dentists. This prospective study focused on assessing changes in degree of rationalisation of clinical dental work by dentists during a six years period, with particular emphasis on time aspects and mechanical exposure. Twelve dentists were followed up by the means 45 minute’s video recordings and synchronised inclinometry measurements. The video recordings were analyzed by a loss analysis technique.

The results shows that non-VAW time proportion (waste) at the follow up was not reduced, but rather showed a trend towards an increase. Mechanical exposures during non-VAW and VAW were essentially not changed during the follow up time. The risk for MSDs for dentists due to mechanical exposure is unchanged. The used loss analysis technique has a lot to contribute in health care settings but the used concept applied needs further elaboration in the future.

Dentists reported high perceived physical work conditions. Working postures and movements of the head and upper extremities during dental work were registered with inclinometry measurements during four hours. The aim was to clarify the relationship between measured working postures/movements and perceived physical work conditions. Dentists worked with elevated arms and a rather steep forward inclination of the head. Correlations (r = -0.52 to -0.66) between inclination velocity and perceived workload on VAS scales were found, but there were only weak correlations between observed working postures. The different tasks involved in dental work provide limited variation in work movements and postures, measured by inclinometry. By alternating between sitting and standing, it might be possible to achieve variation in physical workload during dental work.

The present study investigates dental work in terms of time distribution and mechanical exposure in value-added and non-value-added tasks. Further rationalization of dental work would typically involve an increase in the proportion of value-added tasks. Information on mechanical exposure within classes of value-added and non-value-added tasks can be used to predict possible implications of rationalization.

Twenty-four dentists were investigated. Using a data logger, postures and movements were continuously recorded for each subject during four hours of work, which included 45 minutes of video recording. Time distribution and mechanical exposure for each work activity were calculated from the video recordings, using a loss analysis technique. Value-added tasks, which comprised 57% of the total working time, generally implied significantly more constrained mechanical exposures as compared with non-value-added tasks.

The results indicate that future rationalization of dental work, involving a reduction of nonvalue-added tasks, may increase the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders.

Linköping University, Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, Work and Rehabilitation. Linköping University, Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, Division of Preventive and Social Medicine and Public Health Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Health Sciences.

BACKGROUND: While back pain and stressful work environment are shown to be important causes of sickness absence the effect of psychosocial resources on sickness absence, and on self assessed work ability, is less commonly investigated. The aim of this study was to assess these associations in a two-year follow-up study.

METHODS: 341 working people aged 45 to 64, randomly drawn from the population, responded to a questionnaire at baseline and at a two-year follow-up. Poisson regression was used to analyse the association of psychosocial factors (psychosocial instruments on work environment, emotional support and psychological resources) and previous back pain (low back and/or neck) at baseline with sickness absence (spells and days) at follow-up, controlling for effects of age, sex, BMI, smoking, alcohol, occupation, disease and previous sickness absence. Logistic regression was used to study the associations of psychosocial factors and previous back pain at baseline with self assessed prognosis of poor work ability six months from follow-up. Finally, a multivariate analysis tested the independent effects of previous back pain and 3 psychosocial factors derived in a factor analysis: 1. work environment; 2. emotional support; 3. psychological resources, on work ability and absence days and spells.

RESULTS: 80% of the sickness absence spells within the last 12 months before follow-up were short-term (<= 14 days). In the final model, high emotional support predicted more sickness absence spells (RR 1.36; 1.11-1.67) and days (RR 1.68, 1.22-2.31). Previous back pain (OR 2.56; 1.13-5.81), high emotional support (OR 1.58; 1.02-2.46), and low psychological resources (OR 0.62; 0.44-0.89) were related to poorer self assessed prognosis of work ability at follow up.

CONCLUSIONS: In a general middle aged working population high emotional support was related to more sickness absence and also poorer self assessed prognosis of work ability. Our findings suggest that both sickness absence and self assessed work ability are dependent of life outside work and can be affected by a person's close community.

Linköping University, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Preventive and Social Medicine and Public Health Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Health Sciences.

Karlsson, Nadine

Linköping University, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Preventive and Social Medicine and Public Health Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Health Sciences. Linköping University, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Work and Rehabilitation.

Timpka, Toomas

Linköping University, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Preventive and Social Medicine and Public Health Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Health Sciences. Östergötlands Läns Landsting, Centre for Public Health Sciences.

Lindqvist, Kent

Linköping University, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Preventive and Social Medicine and Public Health Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Health Sciences.

Background: Crime in a neighbourhood has been recognized as a key stressor in the residential environment. Fear of crime is related to risk assessment, which depends on the concentration of objective risk in time and space, and on the presence of subjective perceived early signs of imminent hazard. The aim of the study was to examine environmental, socio-demographic, and personal correlates of safety-related concerns at the local level in urban communities. The specific aim was to investigate such correlates in contiguous neighbourhoods in a Swedish urban municipality. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used to investigate three neighbourhood settings with two pair-wise conterminous but socially contrasting areas within each setting. Crime data were retrieved from police records. Study data were collected through a postal questionnaire distributed to adult residents (n = 2476) (response rate 56%). Composite dimensions of perceived residential safety were derived through a factor analysis. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations between high-level scores of the three safety-related dimensions and area-level crime rate, being a victim of crime, area reputation, gender, age, education, country of birth, household civil status and type of housing. Results: Three composite dimensions of perceived residential safety were identified: (I) structural indicators of social disorder; (II) contact with disorderly behavior; and (III) existential insecurity. We found that area-level crime rates and individual-level variables were associated with the dimensions structural indicators of social disorder and existential insecurity, but only individual-level variables were associated with the dimension contact with disorderly behavior. Self-assessed less favorable area reputation was found to be strongly associated with all three factors. Being female accorded existential insecurity more than being a victim of crime. Conclusion: We have identified environmental, socio-demographic, and personal correlates of safety-related concerns in contiguous neighbourhoods in a Swedish community. The results of this study suggest that residents self-assessed area reputation is an important underlying mechanism of perceived safety. We also found a difference in crime rates and safety-related concerns between areas with blocks of flats compared with small-scale areas although the neighbourhoods were close geographically.

Linköping University, Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, Division of Preventive and Social Medicine and Public Health Science. Linköping University, Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, Work and Rehabilitation. Linköping University, Faculty of Health Sciences.

Lindqvist, Kent

Linköping University, Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, Division of Preventive and Social Medicine and Public Health Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Health Sciences.

The authors used a mixed methods approach to examine if the reputation of a housing area has bearing on residential wellbeing and social trust in three pairs of socioeconomically contrasting neighborhoods in a Swedish urban municipality. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were performed to examine associations between area reputation and residential wellbeing and social trust, controlling for the random effect of neighborhood and individual level sociodemographic factors. Qualitative data were analyzed to identify mechanisms of how neighborhood reputations were established. The housing area reputation was found to be strongly associated with wellbeing and social trust. The area reputation also seemed to be a determinant of position in the local social structure; residents were found to position themselves in a rank order The results suggest that area reputation is an important and probably underestimated dimension in the development of residential wellbeing and social trust in housing.

Background: Over the past decade, practitioners in primary health care (PHC) settings in many countries have issued written prescriptions to patients to promote increased physical activity or exercise. The aim of this study is to describe and analyse a comprehensive physical activity referral (PAR) scheme implemented in a routine PHC setting in Östergötland County. The study examines characteristics of the PARs recipients and referral practitioners, identifies reasons why practitioners opted to use PARs with their clients, and discusses prescribed activities and prescriptions in relation to PHC registries.

Methods: Prospective prescription data were obtained for 90% of the primary health care centres in Östergötland County, Sweden, in 2004 and 2005. The study population consisted of patients who were issued PARs after they were deemed likely to benefit from increased physical activity, as assessed by PHC staff.

Results: During the two-year period, a total of 6,300 patients received PARs. Two-thirds of the patients were female and half of the patients were 45–64 years. Half of the patients (50.8%) who received PARs were recommended a home-based activity, such as walking. One third (33%) of the patients issued PARs were totally inactive, reporting no days of physical activity that lasted for 30 minutes, and 29% stated that they reached this level 1–2 days per week.

The number of PARs prescribed per year in relation to the number of unique individuals that visited primary health care during one year was 1.4% in 2004 and 1.2% in 2005. Two-thirds of the combined prescriptions were issued by physicians (38%) and nurses (31%). Physiotherapists and behavioural scientists issued the highest relative number of prescriptions. The most common reasons for issuing PARs were musculoskeletal disorders (39.1%) and overweight (35.4%), followed by high blood pressure (23.3%) and diabetes (23.2%).

Conclusion: Östergötland County's PAR scheme reached a relatively high proportion of physically inactive people visiting local PHC centres for other health reasons. PAR-related statistics, including PAR-rates by individual PHC centres and PAR- rates per health professional category, show differences in prescribing activities, both by patient categories, and by prescribing professionals.

Background: Written prescriptions of physical activity, so‐called physical activity referral (PAR) schemes, have increased in popularity in recent years. Such schemes have mostly been evaluated in terms of efficacy. This study reports on a Swedish PAR scheme implemented in routine primary health care (PHC) measuring patients’ self‐reported adherence to physical activity prescriptions. The aim of this study was to evaluate adherence to physical activity prescriptions issued in everyday PHC at 3 and 12 months and to analyse the different characteristics associated with adherence to these prescriptions.

Methods: Prospective prescription data were obtained for 37 of the 42 PHC centres in Östergötland County, Sweden, during 2004. The study population consisted of 3300 patients issued PARs by ordinary PHC staff members. Odds ratios were calculated to identify the factors associated with adherence.

Results: The average adherence rate was 56% at 3 months and 50% at 12 months. In the descriptive analyses, higher adherence was associated with increased age, higher activity level at baseline, home‐based activities, prescriptions issued by professional groups other than physicians, and among patients issued PARs due to diabetes, high blood pressure and “other PAR reasons”. In the multiple logistic regression models, higher adherence was associated with higher activity level at baseline, and to prescriptions including home‐based activities, both at 3 and 12 months.

Conclusions: Prescriptions from ordinary staff in routine PHC yielded adherence in 50% of the patients in this routine care PAR scheme follow‐up. Patients’ activity level at baseline (being at least somewhat physically inactive) and being issued homebased activities were associated with higher adherence at both 3 and 12 months.

Background: Health care providers in many countries have delivered interventions to improve physical activity levels among their patients. Thus far, less is known about the population's interest to increase their physical activity levels and their opinion about the health care provider's role in physical activity promotion. The aims of this paper were to investigate the self-reported physical activity levels of the population and intention to increase physical activity levels, self-perceived need for support, and opinions about the responsibilities of both individuals and health care providers to promote physical activity.

Methods: A regional public health survey was mailed to 13 440 adults (aged 18-84 years) living in Östergötland County (Sweden) in 2006. The survey was part of the regular effort by the regional Health Authorities.

Results: About 25% of the population was categorised as physically active, 38% as moderately active, 27% as somewhat active, and 11% as low active. More than one-third (37%) had no intentions to increase their physical activity levels, 36% had thought about change, while 27% were determined to change. Lower intention to change was mainly associated with increased age and lower education levels. 28% answered that physical activity was the most important health-related behaviour to change "right now" and 15% of those answered that they wanted or needed support to make this change. Of respondents who might be assumed to be in greatest need of increased activity (i.e. respondents reporting poor general health, BMI>30, and inactivity) more than one-quarter wanted support to make improvements to their health. About half of the respondents who wanted support to increase their physical activity levels listed health care providers as a primary source for support.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that there is considerable need for physical activity interventions in this population. Adults feel great responsibility for their own physical activity levels, but also attribute responsibility for promoting increased physical activity to health care practitioners.

Introduction: Employee health, individual behaviors in an organizational context and perceived organizational justice are theoretically united. The empirical relationship, especially between behavioral responses and organizational justice and between behavioral responses, and especially job mobility, and health are not previously studied in any apparent

extent.

Aim: The main aim with the present dissertation was to study the relationship between organizational justice, behavioral responses, and health.

Methods: The present study was designed as a longitudinal, three-wave, panel study. A questionnaire was mailed to all employees in three regional organizations of the Swedish National Labour Market Administration (AMV) at 2001 (N=1010, response rate: 78%), 2002 (N=1078, response rate: 75%) and 2003 (N=1122, response rate: 74%).

In study I, a cross-sectional and longitudinal validation study, was analyses of variance, multi-trait/multiitem analyses, logistic regression analyses and different forms of factor analyses used to validate and evaluate the Hagedoorn et al. EVLN instrument. In study II, a longitudinal panel study, correlation and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analyses were used to elucidate the reciprocal relationship between behavioral responses and health. In study III, a longitudinal panel study, factor, correlation and SEM analyses were used to investigate the association between organizational justice, health and burnout. In study IV, a longitudinal panel study, was variance and General Linear Modeling (GLM) repeated measures analyses used to examine the relationship between turnover intentions, job mobility and health and burnout. In study V, a longitudinal panel study, variance, correlation, and SEM analyses were used to shed light upon the reciprocal relationship between health, burnout and job mobility with turnover intentions, organizational justice and age as affecting factors.

Results:Study I showed that the Hagedoorn et al. EVLN instrument was a valid instrument with the exception for the aggressive voice subscale that presents some obvious and distinct deficiencies. The results of study II indicate that the relation between behavioural responses versus health is mainly one-sided: behavioural responses predict psychosocial health. The behavioural response ‘exit’ at baseline was associated with worse psychosocial health at the two-year follow-up, while ‘considerate voice’ predicted good psychosocial health at the two-year follow-up. Good baseline physical health predicted a high degree of ‘exit’ behaviour after two years. Study III showed that organizational justice is cross-sectionally and longitudinally associated with physical, psychosocial health, and burnout. The two approaches to study organizational justice, as a global or threefold construct, should be regarded as complementary rather than exclusive. The results of study IV showed that external mobility had a positive effect on personal and work-related burnout compared with non-mobility and that the combined effects of turnover intentions and job mobility are additive rather than interactive. Finally, the results of study V showed that job mobility is a more distinct predictor of health and burnout than health and burnout is of job mobility. Turnover intentions, but not organizational justice, proved to have an effect on job mobility.

Conclusion: The present dissertation has elucidated the social-psychological relationship between organizational justice, behavioral responses and health. The results show that perceived organizational justice predicted good health and low degree of burnout. The results also show that active behavioural responses predict psychosocial health: pro-organizational behaviour, (considerate voice), was associated with high psychosocial health and a contra-organizational behaviour (exit) was associated with low psychosocial health. External job mobility showed a positive effect on burnout and is a more distinct predictor of health and burnout than health and burnout is of job mobility.

Abstract [en]

The aim of the present study was to evaluate and further validate a modified Exit, Voice, Loyalty and Neglect (EVLN) instrument (Hagedoorn, Van Yperen, Van de Vliert & Buunk, 1999), in a Swedish sample (n= 792). To test the underlying scaling assumptions, the convergent and divergent validity, a multitrait/multi-item analysis was conducted and factor analyses were used to evaluate the factor structure. The concurrent validity was tested by using the modified EVLN instrument as predictor and three different forms of justice as criteria in the analysis. The criterion-related validity was tested and an association between exit behavioral response and actual exit behavior was found (predictive validity). The results showed that the instrument may be considered to be a valid measure with the exception of the aggressive voice scale.

Abstract [en]

A few earlier studies have shown that employee's turnover intentions and job mobility simultaneously could affect health and burnout. The present study investigated the cross-sectional, 2-year longitudinal and possible interactional or additive effects of turnover intentions and job mobility (internal and external mobility) on health (SF-36) and burnout (CBI). The study used questionnaire data from 662 Swedish civil servants, 73% remained at the same workplace, 13% were internally mobile, and 14% left the organization (externally mobile) during the 2-year follow-up period. The results showed that high turnover intentions were cross-sectionally associated with worse mental health (MH) and higher degree of burnout. The externally mobile group had, after the change of workplace, less degree of personal and work-related burnout compared to the non-mobile group. The effect of internal mobility on burnout and health was negligible compared to the effects of external mobility. The results also indicated that the relationship between turnover intentions and actual job mobility are additive rather than interactive. One practical implication of the present findings is that external mobility, if it is in concordance with the individual intentions, could be a powerful health promoting factor.

Abstract [en]

BACKGROUND: The main purpose of the present study was to examine the 2-year longitudinal and reciprocal relationship between job mobility and health and burnout. A second aim was to elucidate the effects of perceived organizational justice and turnover intentions on the relationship between job mobility (non-, internally and externally mobile), and health (SF-36) and burnout (CBI). METHODS: The study used questionnaire data from 662 Swedish civil servants and the data were analysed with Structural Equation Modeling statistical methods. RESULTS: The results showed that job mobility was a better predictor of health and burnout, than health and burnout were as predictors of job mobility. The predictive effects were most obvious for psychosocial health and burnout, but negligible as far as physical health was concerned. Organizational justice was found to have a direct impact on health, but not on job mobility; whereas turnover intentions had a direct effect on job mobility. CONCLUSION: The predictive relationship between job mobility and health has practical implications for health promotive actions in different organizations.